


Same, but different.

by southoffebruary



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Adventure, Alien Planet, Gen, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Past Relationship(s), Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:55:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29081997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/southoffebruary/pseuds/southoffebruary
Summary: Trapped on a warring planet, Jack makes a silent plea for a rescue, only his saviour isn't the one he was expecting.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Same, but different.

**Author's Note:**

> Dug out of the depths of my computer.  
> Mistakes are my own.

It was just supposed to be a quick trip. Get in and out of the temple before anyone saw him. A brief jump back into his old life for the hell of it. He needed the rush – any rush – which he hadn’t been getting from adventurous sex or drinking himself into a stupor. He hadn’t felt anything since The Doctor – his Doctor in the pinstripe suit with gangly arms and legs – had unceremoniously dumped him on Nebular Six without so much as a kiss goodbye.

That was a year ago in his linear timeline and Jack hated himself for not being able to move on. He hated that he still looked for a flowing tan coat and a shock of amazing brown hair in market places he knew his Doctor would just love.

When he heard about the job on Krathi, Jack immediately offered his services. He thought a simple jewel theft would remind him of a life too many thousands of years ago. Before the Doctor in the leather jacket and blonde in a union jack became the centre of his universe.

What he hadn’t anticipated was his vortex manipulator shorting out and depositing him in the middle of a war.

The unusually turbulent ride through the vortex disorientated him and he found himself coming face-to-face with a cement-like surface. The force jarred his body, knocking the wind out of him briefly. It took a moment for him to recover and take in his surroundings. Ruins of buildings lay all around him and gunfire sounded off in the distance. Ash and smoke began to fill his lungs and flames from burning buildings heated his skin.

Jack was fairly sure hadn’t landed on Krathi and he didn’t intend on sticking around to find out exactly where he was instead.

With his wrist strap out of action and only his Webley for defence, he took cover in a small building that wasn’t completely in ruins. But as he tried every trick he could think of to get his vortex manipulator working again, soldiers found him.

Covered head to toe in reflective black armour, he didn’t know what species they were and they didn’t give him a chance to explain himself before they shot him point blank in the head. When his body dragged itself back to life, it was barely a second before they shot him again. They tried, no less than ten times, to kill him. When they failed, he found himself beaten and dragged back to their camp.

That was three days ago and still where he was now - bound by heavy chains on the edge of their outpost. Just close enough that the soldiers could keep watch on him, but far enough away that they thought he couldn’t hear their chatter. Jack had heard murmurs of using him on their front line, because what better weapon was there than a man who couldn’t die.

He was relieved when they got called back into battle before they could figure out how to implement their plan. For once Jack was grateful to be left alone with his thoughts playing to the background noise of gunfire.

He still didn’t know where he was, but it was fairly obvious the moment he thumped onto the hard ground that he wasn’t at his intended destination. His fellow thieves had told him Krathi was an ancient planet, with stone castles and jungles that were home to the wildest creatures he could imagine. The buildings on this planet were too modern – at least what was left of them – he figured he was maybe somewhere in the thirtieth century, given the weapons and technology in the outpost.

Still, where he was didn’t matter to him so much. He was more concerned with shifting the shackles from his arms and feet before the soldiers came back to beat him again.

He didn’t know if his captors were the natives of this planet or the invaders. Either way, he didn’t want to fight their battle, they didn’t exactly seem like the nicest of folks. He knew he had to work fast if he was going to free himself before they came back.

Jack struggled and pulled and tried to manipulate his hands free, but it was no use. The chains were too thick and the shackles barely had any movement on his wrists. He felt too weak to struggle for long; his body was still bloodied and bruised. The soldiers had taken to beating him when he wouldn’t die. Eventually his body stopped trying to repair itself after each blow of a fist or swing of a weapon that slashed his skin.

Defeated, Jack slumped back down on the ground and looked up into the hazy pink sky. Normally, he didn’t believe in a greater power guiding any of the universes, but at that moment, he would’ve believed in anything to be free of his constraints.

So, figuring it was worth a shot, Jack sent a silent plea out into the universe, with promises he’d probably never keep and a prayer The Doctor might care enough to find him. His Doctor always had that ability to know where he was. It was the wrongness of him, he had said. It heightened all his Time Lord senses and pushed him to run away. But The Doctor didn’t run, at least not initially. Jack had many memories of The Doctors fingers exploring his skin and deft hands stroking him. A clever tongue working its magic on his mouth and tasting his flesh. Jack hadn’t seemed so wrong bent over the jump seat, while The Doctor pushed inside him or when he held him afterwards, sweat tricking down his brow.

Jack shook the thoughts from his head. He wasn’t going to let his mind wander. He shut his eyes and willed the metal cuffs to fall away. It seemed like mind control was the only way he’d get out of this situation now. If only he’d bothered to attend that class at the Time Agents academy.

He sat there for a while, head slumped between his bent knees, willing his mind not to think about The Doctor but hoping even harder that he’d wake up and it would be all a dream and he’d be back on the TARDIS.

A moment later he heard foot steps in the gravel nearby and Jack bowed his head even lower. He figured if he slouched small enough, maybe they would give up on him, thinking him too weak to fight their battles. He thought it was one of the soldiers back from patrol, ready to beat him for amusement. He readied himself for the butt of a gun, but there was nothing. No blow of a fist or strike of a weapon against his skin.

Jack opened his eyes to see a figure peering down at him with a curious expression. This was no soldier, not even close. He looked up at the man and something in his gut clenched. Then he laughed out loud. Mostly of sheer exhaustion, but also because he could not believe the sight in front of him.

Jack threw his head back and shouted up to the sky. “You sent the wrong one.”

But he had no idea who or what he was shouting to.

The man continued to peer at him. “Are you quite alright?”

“Fine, just fine,” he muttered. “Can you help get me out of these things?” He raised his cuffed hands and gestured at his feet.

“Why did they capture you?” the man asked, not moving a muscle.

“I think you know,” Jack replied. “If not, you’ll figure it out soon enough.”

Jack couldn’t believe his luck. He wasn’t sure if it was bad or good luck just yet. Before him, as clear as day, was The Doctor. Not his Doctor but a version Jack had never met.

There was no mistaking him though. An ostentatious coat, green this time, and looking very out of place to his surroundings. He was skinny like Jacks Doctor, but with a longer face and a five o’clock shadow. His hair was wavy and messy in a way that suggested this Doctor was always running his fingers through it. He had the same haunted eyes that Jack knew too well, they were a different colour, but there was no mistaking that sad and troubled look.

He wondered where this Doctor fit in the timeline. Since he didn’t appear to know Jack, he was guessing it was an earlier model than the one who had left him behind at the game station. But the way this Doctor stood there staring at him, it was like he knew Jack was a fixed point in time. It had to be Time Lord instinct. Something would be prickling at this Doctors consciousness and he wouldn’t know why. Jack wondered if the feeling would make him run or rescue him.

He didn’t have to wonder for very long because after a moment, The Doctor silently moved forward. A pensive look still clouded his features, but he pulled out a red and silver sonic screwdriver. Jack knew then he had the right man.

“Why do you feel so familiar?” The Doctor asked as the sonic buzzed over the cuffs.

Jack had no answer. He knew he couldn’t tell him anything about the future or their past – which was still technically the future.

“Cat got your tongue, aye?” The Doctor mused as he moved the sonic over the cuffs on Jack’s ankles.

Jack’s mind ran through a list of obscene jokes to follow that statement, but stopped himself. He wasn’t sure if this Doctor would appreciate his flirtatious sense of humour – none of the others had. Instead, he stretched his weary limbs carefully. His muscles protested with the movement and his joints popped and cracked.

“Can you stand?” The Doctor asked, eyeing him up and down.

Jack simply nodded and carefully climbed to his feet. He busied himself with looking over his wounds as he feared that if he kept talking to this Doctor, he’d spill all the secrets of their future and wouldn’t be able to stop. So he examined the cuts on his arms and the slashes across his chest. His clothes were in tatters and that was enough to send him into a murderous rage on its own. His coat was hard to come by in these parts.

Without warning, The Doctor grabbed his hand. “I hope you’ll be feeling chattier in a moment, but now we need to run.”

Jack heard the familiar thud of the soldier’s boots and as he looked over his shoulder, he could see the contingent marching back from battle. The Doctor tugged Jack’s hand with an all too familiar force and he willed his aching legs to follow in the direction away from the outpost.

Jack laughed inwardly as they ran through the desolate city. He wondered if there was a version of The Doctor who wasn’t always running into danger or away from it. Not that he cared, the running was always his favourite part. Even with his muscles protesting and his lungs tightening in his chest – running with The Doctor gave him that much needed adrenaline rush.

Jack could have cried with relief as they rounded a corner and the TARDIS appeared in sight. The dull thud of the soldiers boots were still behind them and he felt The Doctors grip tighten a little more on his hand.

“That’s my ship, just up ahead,” The Doctor explained. “Don’t be alarmed...”

“Its bigger on the inside,” Jack finished for him with a laugh.

“You seem to know it all, don’t you?” The Doctor mused.

When they reached the TARDIS, Jack noticed the subtle differences in old blue and wondered if they changed with every regeneration. The pound of the soldiers footsteps grew closer as The Doctor unlocked the door and the gunfire started.

Jack felt a pulse blast rip through him as the door pushed open and The Doctor dragged him inside.

He hated this planet.

Jack collapsed on the floor just inside the door, his body unwilling to let him go any further. He was exhausted from the run and his shoulder was burning from the pulse blast. He heard The Doctor scurry off and then the familiar sounds of the TARDIS console being brought to life.

He felt the familiar jolt of the TARDIS whirring to life and moving into the time vortex which made Jack breathe a sigh of relief. Mustering up what strength he could, he managed to pull himself into a sitting position and take in his surroundings. His eyes widened at the TARDIS layout that stretched out before him. It was elaborate and gothic and kind of garish all at once. But a familiar sight as always was The Doctor dancing around the console, silently cursing at his uncooperative machine as it bumped its way through time and space.

“Steady old girl, we’re away from that planet now,” The Doctor soothed as he flicked a brown switch and pulled a red lever. When the TARDIS moved into a smoother rhythm he patted the console and smiled. “Well done old girl and well done me.”

Jack chuckled to himself. Some things really didn’t change.


End file.
